CLEVELAND — The estate of fallen Cleveland police officer Jamieson Ritter filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, Chief Dorothy "Annie" Todd, Public Safety Director Wayne Drummond, and several other police officials Wednesday.
The lawsuit alleges Ritter's death was "totally preventable" and that officers worked in unsafe and dangerous conditions.
The lawsuit was filed three days before the two-year anniversary of Ritter's death. He was shot and killed on July 4, 2024, after he and other officers attempted to arrest a man who was wanted for murder.
A relative called 911 to report that DeLawnte Hardy was at his mother's home on East 80th Street, according to the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, police supervisors allegedly failed to request a SWAT team to assist officers.
The lawsuit also alleges a dispatch supervisor failed to issue a "Code Red" to command staff, which violated the department's policies.
After officers arrived, Hardy took off on his bicycle — carrying two machetes and a gun, according to the lawsuit.
When officers attempted to arrest Hardy, he fired five shots and one of the bullets hit Ritter, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges Todd and Drummond created a hostile work environment, which contributed to hundreds of officers resigning and retiring from the department.
The lawsuit alleges the city then operated a "grossly" understaffed police force.
The lawsuit also alleged the city violated its own policies when it notified the family by phone, instead of in person, about Ritter's death.
It also alleged the department violated its own policies by requiring many of the officers involved in the incident to return to duty within three days of Ritter's death.
Hardy was found incompetent to stand trial. He remains at a mental health facility.
City of Cleveland response
News 5 Investigators reached out to the city of Cleveland about the lawsuit. A city spokesperson sent us the following statement:
"This cold-blooded murder was a horrific tragedy that has caused unimaginable grief for Officer Ritter’s family, friends, and fellow officers. We continue to empathize with the family, as it’s an absolute shame that 2 years have passed and the criminal case has yet to result in a conviction. We’ll continue to look for additional ways we can honor Jamieson’s legacy and will let our attorneys handle the lawsuit side of things."
